You should get to know...Spencer Parkinson

Executive director at Decision Innovation Solutions in Urbandale

Feb. 24, 2013

Special to the Register

Job and business description: Decision Innovation Solutions is an Iowa-based economic research firm dedicated to giving agribusiness decision-makers the tools and needed confidence to chart their own direction — before inaction limits their options. By using our clients’ data and experiences, coupled with our unique research and industry perspective, we help our clients make well-informed, practical decisions in a timely way. Our goal for our clients is to help them ask better questions, receive better answers and make better decisions.

Background: I am a farm kid from the southeastern Idaho/northern Utah corridor. I attended Utah State University (B.S., economics/accounting) and the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, England (M.B.A., international food and agribusiness). I have worked in production agriculture and agribusiness in various capacities for about 20 years. My professional career includes jobs with Woodlee Dairy in Smithfield, Utah, and Utah State University Extension. Also, I have worked for Deseret Cattle & Citrus in Deer Park, Fla., and the Iowa Farm Bureau in West Des Moines.

Why I do what I do: I absolutely love agriculture and agribusiness. Most people underestimate all the moving pieces to agriculture and fail to appreciate all that goes into stocking their pantries. I get excited for opportunities to figure things out, and agriculture never fails to satisfy.

What I do to get away from work: I am an avid woodworker and thoroughly enjoy creating furniture and tabletop pieces from rough lumber. While vacations are nice, there is no need to jet me off to a distant place — just fill my shop up with some black walnut and a few “needed” tools. And, being from the Mountain West, I also enjoy being outdoors camping, hiking and skiing.

How I give back to the community: Being an Eagle Scout myself, I naturally love working with Scouts — I have volunteered with my church’s Cub Scout pack and Boy Scout troop for much of the time I’ve lived in Iowa. I also enjoy volunteering in church youth activities, helping elderly people clean up their leaves, and supporting emergency preparation activities in my neighborhood and community.

Words to live by: Moments are the molecules that make up eternity.

The best place in central Iowa to entertain clients or colleagues: My favorite place to entertain clients or colleagues in central Iowa would be the Club Car on University in Clive. Great food and quick, friendly service.

What Iowa can do to attract more people like me: Frankly, my friends from home wonder why I would ever move to Iowa, where tornadoes touch down, it’s humid and there are NO mountains. Having been here since 2005, I believe Iowa’s strongest assets are agriculture and the awesome, friendly people. With agriculture a given, I think more mention of the family-friendly culture would cause more people to consider moving here.

My leadership philosophy: People generally like to learn and grow if given the tools to do so. I believe if we hire the best, brightest people around and give them what they need to excel, there is no reason why they should not be able to reach new heights — and it certainly doesn’t hurt if they take us with them!

What I would do if I could do something else: I love numbers, which is really a broad topic. I had a difficult time deciding which way to progress through school, but if I could either add more hours to a day or pursue a different career path, it would be the engineering route.